If you’ve dreamed of becoming a basketball star, you know what kind of dedication is necessary. Even when playing for fun, you would like to play well, right? The following tips will help you improve your game.
Dribble properly. Use fingertips to dribble. This way you’ll have a lot more control over the ball. Always dribble to your side, not your front. You should always be looking up instead of at the ground.
Bounce passes are extremely efficient when done properly. A useful bounce pass will hit the receiving player at waist level. One good rule of thumb is to bounce the ball around three quarters of the way to the other player. This all depends on many factors.
Keep your weight lifting to a minimum as a jump shooter. Muscle flexibility is more important than muscle mass. Some professional shooting guards made their arms so big that it started decreasing their field goal percentage.
Core Muscles
One of the keys to becoming a great basketball player is developing core muscles. Core muscles are comprised of the hips, lower back, and abdominal muscles. Without a strong core, a player’s performance may not be as good as it could be. Building strong core muscles will allow your to jump higher, run faster and maintain your balance.
One way to get a good understanding of your game is to ask your fellow players about your ability. Are you really good at any one thing? Knowing your strengths and weaknesses will allow you to develop your skills to become an all around better player. Find out how your game appears to others and develop your skills accordingly.
You can play a great defensive game if you know the opposition well. Watch games if you can and look at their tendencies. Know which team members are right handed and which ones are left handed. Understanding your opponent allows you to effectively play defense. The more knowledgeable a defender is, the stronger he is.
Free Throws
For more consistency in making those free throws, stick with the same sequence of motions before you take each shot. For example, you might tug your ear, dribble three times, or flex your wrists. Just make your routine quick, so that it can be consistent, and your body is going to remember just how to nail free throws following your ritual.
Between the leg passes are usually helpful when another team’s players are riding you hard. You can train for this maneuver by stepping forward or backwards as you bounce the ball real hard in-between your legs. Mastering this movement gives you a big advantage on the court.
When moving in for a layup, push off from your weaker foot and lead with your shooting hand. If you use your right hand to shoot, use your left foot to take off. That will build your balance and help you stay in the right position.
To improve your dribbling skills, practice dribbling with your weaker hand. Being ambidextrous on the court makes it more difficult for defenders to figure out what you will do next. Try tying the dominant hand behind you and forcing yourself to just using your weak hand. Eventually, your weak hand will be trained to dribble properly.
You must be able to box out other players when attempting to rebound free throws. Your defender will move towards you, so figure out how to slither past him and grab the ball. Now you can achieve a proper rebound and not commit a foul.
Remain low when playing defense. This will let you get to the jump quicker and let you react to your opponent easier. Hold a defensive stance always. The only time you should be out of your stance is when you are jumping to block an opponent shooting.
To increase your three-point shooting skill, shoot from where the NBA players range. All other distance lines, high school, college and International, are not as far. By learning to shoot from NBA distances, you improve your range tremendously.
Only stop dribbling when you are prepared to shoot or pass. When you stop, your options are limited. Basically the only move you have at this point is to pivot while finding an opening to move the ball. The opposition will cling onto you like a magnet.
Use these tips mentioned above and you’ll improve your game in no time. You will start to see improvement little by little as you remember what you’ve read, use the tips, and practice them. That three step plan will see you to success.
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